


There’s a Dragon at My Doorstep

by roombaa



Category: The Legend of Zelda
Genre: AU, Link and Zelda are twins, Multi, Sheik hatches a dragon, Sheik’s their little sister, cause I love her, dragons are illegal or somethin, it’s like a dragon AU, the king and queen are alive, this is about Sheik, uhhh what else, yes Sheik’s a girl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 16:40:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15319752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roombaa/pseuds/roombaa
Summary: The last dragon egg in the Cave of Ordeals created by the goddesses was said to be a myth. A girl that’s questionablely depressed and had droopy ears proves that wrong.





	There’s a Dragon at My Doorstep

Honestly, it could have been worse. They could have been dead or used as a sex toy by now, but they were still alive. Really, they were lucky. The rain was steadying up, too.

Zelda and Link sat beside each other, wrists shackled together with a chain attached to a wagon. There were many hunters around them, and they couldn’t fight them off since their weapons had been taken. They kept exchanging nervous looks, wondering how exactly they had gotten into this big of a mess.

It’s simple. They went a little too deep into the bad parts of the woods. It was Link’s idea, but Zelda partially blamed herself for going along with it so easily. Now they were stuck in chains, surrounded by mad men.

You see, these weren’t normal hunters. They didn’t track down just animals. They stalk other races that weren’t human, Hylian, Gerudo, or Sheikah and kill them. Zoras for their fins and scales, Ritos for their feathers and wings, Gorons and Koroks for their skin, to name a few. It was highly illegal to do this- it was murder- but they didn’t care. They were good at covering their tracks, too. But what did they want with two Hylians if they didn’t kill them? Simple.

“You’re royals,” Said the leader, pacing in front of the pair. “I’m sure the king wouldn’t want anything to happen to his precious prince and princess.”

“So you’re going to use us for blackmail?” Zelda spoke, keeping her voice strong. “How cowardly.”

“Would you rather me kill you? Or use you as our personal plaything?”

Death sounded better than being these men’s whore. Zelda shut her mouth and looked back down at the ground.

“That’s what I thought.”

The man was a brute, bigger than both Zelda and Link. Without their weapons, he could easily take down them both single-handedly. Maybe even when they did have their swords. He had a scarred face and tangled black hair that reached his shoulders. His hands were like bear paws, large and strong, and his eyes could pierce anyone’s soul with a single stare. It would be best to not make him mad.

“What do you hope to gain from us?” Link decided to ask, taking his turn at speaking. “The throne?”

“Of course not.” The leader chortled. “Why would I want such a thing? To be bound to a velvet chair for the rest of my life? Ha! No, I’m in this for the gold, the treasure.”

“Should have guessed.” Zelda said softly.

She looked at Link, who was, once again, trying to pull his hands free from the shackles. Like the other four times, it didn’t work and only achieved skinning his wrists raw.

“Where are you taking us?” Zelda asked.

“Just a little detour,” Answered the leader, looking down at a map. “We were heading for the Cave of Ordeals before you two stumbled in. No reason in changing our plans just because royalty joined the party.”

“Cave of Ordeals?” Link echoed. “Why would you want to go there?”

“People say the last dragon egg sent down by the goddesses is in that cave.  
The dragons were said to be killed off long ago, but a few survived and went into hiding. This egg will be able to awaken them. Or, well, determine if they’re still alive.”

“But dragons are illegal!”

“How can you make a monster illegal?” The leader laughed at Zelda’s statement. “You can’t erase these creatures from Hyrule. Especially when that egg hatches.”

He turned away from the pair to speak to some of the other hunters, probably to discuss plans or directions. Somewhere in the conversation, one of the hunters pointed to Link and Zelda and said something to the leader, making him look at them, too.

“Sheik!” He called out loudly. “Get over here!”

Rustling came from the grove nearby and a girl came out. She had golden hair done in braids that made her ruby eyes stand out brightly. She’s clad in furs, a size too big and drowning her petite frame. Her arms are dripping with gore; clearly she had been at a gutting post for dinner. Oddly enough, she shares features of both Link and Zelda, like face shape. Except her eyes weren’t blue and her skin was relatively tanner, burned by the sun. 

“Ohoho,” The leader laughed. “What do we have here?”

Zelda looked shock to see this girl, Sheik. She remembered having another little sibling; her mother said they had been stolen from their crib one night. She looked at Link, who’s ears were perked up in surprise.

“Looks like we have ourselves a family reunion!”

Zelda didn’t think it was possible for this girl’s ears to droop even more, but she was proved wrong. Sheik looked to the ground, her muscles tense.

“How sweet,” The leader purred, clapping Sheik on the back, making her wince. “Go finish your job. You can catch up later.”

Sheik dipped her head and disappeared back into the trees. 

“We have a sister?” Link whispered to Zelda.

“Yes,” His twin responded. “But why would she be with these horrible people?”

For now, that question would remain unanswered.

———

It was raining again. The forest was shrouded with grey mist, hanging above the wet ground. Overhead, the sky is obscured by an impenetrable mass of dark clouds. In those early hours of the morning, everyone was asleep.

Zelda stirred in the mud she lay in, jumping when she realized someone’s hands were on her. She instinctively swung her arm up, jabbing her elbow at the person. A hiss let her know she landed the blow.

When the haziness in her eyes receded, she saw the red-eyed girl crouched beside her, rubbing her jaw.

“It’s you,” Zelda said softly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you. I thought you were one of the men.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sheik replied. Her voice is husky, but warm. It almost sounded like it hurt to speak. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow and inquired: 

“Aren’t you with them, though?”

“Not by choice.”

Sheik ended it there and slipped a key out of her fur covers while Zelda shook Link awake. Zelda noticed something on the younger girl. She squinted, seeing red marks around her wrists and neck. It looked like a painful rash; shackles usually created wounds like that. 

In a few seconds, the chains binding Link and Zelda fell off. Sheik gave them each a dagger before standing to go get the horses. That’s when she ran right into one of the hunters. He was up on his feet, glaring down at her. Sheik struck too late; he had already bellowed for the others to wake when her knife sunk into his chest. His battle cry dies on his lips and she pulls her blade free, moving to the next opponent.

She ducks smoothly under a clumsy swing and jabs her knife up into the second man’s armpit, tearing open a large gash. Twisting on her heels, she hauls the body around to shield herself from an oncoming sword. The blade pierces the hunter’s flesh instead of hers and she releases him to bleed out and die.

Link and Zelda were up, helping fend off the hunters. Link was being trained by the knights back at Castle Town, so he had perfect form, but Zelda fought just as good for a princess. Sheik got distracted by watching. A heavy blow smacked into the side of her head.

Sheik tottered before sinking to her knees, pressing one hand to her skull while the other clumsily tried to fend off the hunters gathering around her. Her vision began to darken as she was shoved to her back. The leader is above her, a sneer on his scarred face.

“Next time, you’ll stay in the chains.”

Without another word, he swung his boot savagely into her chin, and, with a crunch, Sheik’s world went black.

~~~

Darkness melts away, bringing back light to consciousness. Sheik sits up. She’s lying in a flower patch, surrounded by dark and ancient trees. Up ahead is a clearing she can see when squinting.

In the middle is a standing stone, covered in moss. Strangely enough, it adds to the beauty. White flowers grow around the base of the stone. Around it, water is rising up from the ground before it runs down the slope on which the clearing is situated. 

Sheik staggers around the stone, inspecting the carvings engraved in it. She was trying to read them when something large landed before her. In fact, there were three.

She jumped backwards and fell to the floor, staring up at the trio of dragons before her. One was fiery orange and red, another blue, and the last yellow and brown. They stood upright on their hind legs like a human, their long tails curled around their talons.

“You scared her, Eldin.” Said the blue dragon. “I told you to come down gently. You could have given her a heart attack.”

“Sorry.” Eldin says, but doesn’t look too apologetic.

“Y-y-y-you’re dragons!” Sheik stammered horribly. The blue one used its tail to lift her back to her feet.

“Yes,” The yellow dragon said slowly. “We are.”

“I-I thought they were all dead!”

“Like we would let a few humans kill us all.” Eldin says. “Oh, right, introductions. I’m Eldin, the female beside me is Faron, and Lanaryu is the old one.” He earned a glare for that last part.

“Alright,” Sheik says slowly. “Where am I?”

“A spirit realm, you could say.” Faron answered. “You took a pretty bad hit to the head.”

“Why am I here? I must be pretty important if some of the last dragons personally speak to me.” Sheik’s joking with herself, but the trio look serious about what she said.

“Very important.” Lanaryu said. “For good or ill, our souls are joined together. You are one of the last Dragon Kin to live in Hyrule.”

“I’m sorry- Dragon what?” Sheik repeated, flabbergasted.

“Dragon Kin,” Faron said. “They were special people chosen by the goddesses. They shared the blood and soul of a dragon to protect the beasts. It’s been years since they have chosen new kin.”

“Probably because it’s still not known if the dragons still live.” Eldin took over.

“But...you’re here, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Says Lanaryu, “But we are more of familiars for the goddesses. Faron speaks of the other dragons. The ones who used to roam the land freely.”

“What do you mean about me being a ‘Dragon Kin’, though?” 

Before one of them can answer, lightning flashes across the dark sky, followed by a rumble of thunder.

“You will wake soon,” Faron said, flexing her talons. “Remember what we have told you. It will return soon. This is not the last time we will meet.”

Sheik turned her head up at the sky as rain began to fall.

~~~

Sheik wakes to a thin drizzle on her face. When her thoughts finally gather together, she jolts and tries to get up, but hands squeeze her forearms and keep her down. She squirms for a moment, before the blurriness in her eyes goes away and she sees that it’s just Zelda. The princess looks relieved. She’s holding a wet rag in her hand; she probably found it in the hunter’s wagon. It was splotched with red.

“You’re awake,” She said. “I’m so glad. I thought that rock cracked your skull; you were bleeding.”

Sheik takes notice on a sharp throb at the side of her head. She winced and Zelda notices. She puts the rag back to the area of impact.

“What about the other..bandits?” Sheik slurs her words slightly.

“Took care of them.”

Link is standing a few feet away, sword in hand. 

“Wasn’t that hard when they all grouped up after you blacked out. Really, it was their fault they died for getting together.”

Sheik nodded slightly. She’s laying against a tree, under the canopy of leaves. With a grunt, she pushes herself up into a sitting position. From beside her, Zelda makes a noise of disapproval.

“So, should we get to more formal introductions?” Link said. “I’m Link, that’s Zelda. We’re you’re older siblings. Why were you with hunters?”

“Like I said, it wasn’t by choice.” Sheik gets up fully. She’s immediately hit with a horrible wave of dizziness, but pushes past it. “It was either work with them or be used at their sex toy. They gave me food and a place to sleep. It’s what I’ve been living with for years now.”

Zelda and Link exchanged glances for a moment.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Zelda said, giving the girl a warm smile. “We should start getting back to Castle Town. You can rest up there.”

“You’re bringing me with you?” Sheik tilted her head.

“Of course! You’ll be home.”

Sheik didn’t know how she felt about going to the castle. What would the king and queen say? The child they abandoned just shows back up one day. How is anyone supposed to react to that?

And yet, she got onto a horse and followed them back to the city. She spent most of the ride in silence, listening to the banter of the twins. Her head was hurting even more now, but she didn’t want to say anything.

It took some time, but they finally arrived in Castle Town. The guards were relieved to see the prince and princess home safe, but looked skeptical about the new girl riding along with her. The king and queen, though, were shocked when Sheik was introduced. They acted surprised and relieved to see her, like they hadn’t abandoned her at birth. Sheik decided to not hold it against them for the time being; the castle was her only home and she couldn’t lose it. Then she would be all alone.

But that wouldn’t happen. The castle life will be good.

———

For the most part, living in Castle Town was nice. The bed was more comfortable than the forest floor and the food was a lot better. There was more to choose from. But Sheik didn’t like the maids that smothered her and the dresses she had to wear. Luckily, for that, she got her point through and she wore some of Link’s old clothes.

But it didn’t feel like home. She felt like she was intruding on everyone living there. They all said they were happy to have her back, but that seemed forced. Sheik would just have to get over that nagging feeling. She had no other place to go.

And that’s when the dreams started. Well, they were almost more like visions. They bled into her real dreams and flashed images before her. Usually, they were filled with fire and blood and screaming and things being destroyed. They ripped her from peaceful rest, startling her awake. It wasn’t hard to get back to sleep after, but it still gave her some shock. Something about them, though... It was like it was telling her something.

Then, one day, she was contacted by someone.

Sheik headed off into the woods on her horse, arriving in a clearing. She slid off her mount’s back and, a few minutes later, a roar caught her attention.

A long red dragon swooped down from the sky, shifting into a man when landing in the clearing. His blood red armor gleamed in the pale sunlight.

“You should be careful flying around like that, Volga.” Sheik said. “Someone might catch you.”

He was an old friend of Sheik’s, half man, half dragon. Before the dragon cull started, she often saw him in her old village getting supplies. She had enjoyed talking to him.

“I know. I know.” 

“So, why’d you call me out here?”

“I wanted to show you this.”

Volga pulled something out of a sash he was wearing. An egg. Its shell was red and speckled with orange. Sheik’s eyes widened.

“Oh my goddesses... It’s real. How-how did you get this?! I thought it was a myth!”

“The Cave of Ordeals.” Volga answered. “Just like the stories said.”

“This is amazing... This means there’s still a chance that the other dragons are still alive!”

“Exactly.” Volga smiled. “Here. I need you to take it.”

“Huh? Wait- Why?”

“You have to hatch it.”

“What? Why me? I live at the castle now. The king hates dragons!”

“It’s safer with you than me.” Volga said. “I’m still being hunted. I can’t look after a baby dragon.”

“What makes you think I can? I can barely take care of myself!”

Volga sighed and looked down at the egg in his arms for a moment.

“Sheik, this is our only shot at bringing these creatures back. I know you can do it. You’re one of only Dragon Kin left. It’s only us, now. I know you can do it. So, please,” He held out the egg, “take this little one.”

Sheik looked hesitant, but took the egg. It was warm to the touch in her arms.

“Thank you.” Volga said, smiling slightly. “Take care.”

“You too.” Sheik said, watching the man turn into a dragon and fly off into the air, leaving her with the egg.

———

“Mother! Father! Everyone!”

Maybe it was better to be secretive about the egg, but Sheik didn’t seem to think so. On the ride back to Castle Town, she had already grown attached to the egg. Weren’t they kin? Either way, it was nice and she felt prideful.

She came into the throne room, holding the egg close to her chest with a beaming expression. For once, her ears were actually perked.

“You won’t believe what I got!”

All eyes turned to the egg she set on a table. The guards visibly tensed and Link and Zelda exchanged glances.

“Honey,” Zelda said slowly. “What is that?”

“A dragon egg!” Sheik responded.

Gasps and murmurs went through the room, gazes focusing on the king. He looked both shocked and fearful.

“Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a baby dragon around here? We can bring them back! There’s still a chance that the others are still alive, too. It’s not over for them!”

“Nonsense,” The king growled. “They all should be dead. Guards, destroy this thing!”

“No!”

Sheik scrambled to pull the egg back into her arms, holding it close to her chest. 

“You can’t kill it!”

“There’s a dragon in there. They’re dangerous monsters. It’ll kill us all.”

“Not all dragons are bad, father! It’s just a baby; not even born yet. Killing it would be like stabbing a pregnant woman. It’s wrong.”

“So you think I should just let this thing hatch and rain terror down on my kingdom? Do you know how hard I worked to get rid of these things? So many people died at their claws. I’m saving Hyrule.”

“You aren’t doing such a thing!” Sheik reprimanded. “You’re killing beautiful creatures. They don’t deserve this!”

“I don’t want it alive.”

“Then you’ll have to kill me first.” Sheik growled.

Silence fell over the room. It was a tense quietness that sent a chill down some of the guard’s spine. 

Sheik’s eyes were narrowed. She wouldn’t back down that easily.

“Sheik, dear, think about thi-“ The queen was cut off.

“You don’t understand! Just like me, this egg was abandoned. You could have gotten rid of me, but you can’t get rid of it.”

She glared at the king before going to the hall that went to her room. Like she would let him lay a finger on the egg.

———

Three days.

For three days, Sheik watches over the egg, unsure on if it’s doing okay. Volga didn’t know if the hatchling inside was even alive before giving it away. Regardless, Sheik did her job. She didn’t sleep and barley left her room in fear of the egg hatching when she wasn’t there. She created a nest of her blankets and pillows to try and keep the little thing as warm as possible. Sometimes, it moves. Sometimes, it doesn’t. On the third night, that changes.

It was around dinner time, raining. Sheik was strumming lazily at her harp on the window sill when the egg began to jump and shake. Flakes of shell fall from a cracked area. Sheik sees a curve of a beak, black claws, an edge of a foot. As a flash of lightning lights up the sky, the rest of the egg gives, leaving the tiny hatching, shiny with albumen, before her.

It looks like a lindwurm. Crimson scales shined in the candle light as the baby lied on its soft tan underbelly. It has fur the color of fire sticking up on its head with grey curled horns. Blue eyes were blinking and looking around.

Sheik doesn’t even realize she’s crying until she breathes in shakily and hiccups. She crouches down, holding out her hand, which the baby dragon nibbles on. She pulled him into her arms, weeping tears of joy and relief.

“You’re alive,” She breathed. “You’re alive!”

Even with the heavy rain and thunder, surely everyone in the castle could hear her cheering.

“What should I call you, little guy?” She paused. “How about Volvagia? Does that sound nice?”

The hatching tail wiggles in excitement, so Sheik took that as a yes. She held Volvagia close to her chest, tucking his head under her chin. 

This meant there was still a chance.

**Author's Note:**

> I might make multiple chapters with this concept if people like it but I dunno


End file.
